Before Wenger, life of an Arsenal fan was nice and easy. The odd cup run interspersed with a good run in the league, unless you watched them in the 1930's I suppose. Nothing was really expected. Even in 1989, how many fans truly expected anything from the last game of the season at Anfield? We would go to away games and sing our hearts out knowing that it will always be the same. A more appropriate name would have been the Inconsistent’s rather than the Gooners. Then along came Mr Wenger, a Frenchman that our all-knowing media knew little about and almost overnight transformed The Arsenal. They had flair, skill and played the beautiful game beautifully. He brought in players that the great Dennis Bergkamp could work with, players who would flourish under Wenger.

Pass, move & speed was the game The Arsenal played, most PL teams could not live with it and were almost beaten before they stepped onto the green grass. Scoring against them was almost suicidal like taunting a wounded lion. League titles and FA cup finals were the norm rather than something to treasure. Then it came Arsenal’s and Wenger's greatest or could it be said worst ever season. Something that in modern times had never happened and probably will never happen again. The Arsenal, the inconsistent’s, the team which I grew up watching never knowing what performance would appear from game to game went the whole damn season unbeaten, forty nine games in the league in total but the full season unbeaten. Wenger had almost promised this the season before but everybody all the experts and pundits just laughed but Wenger knew.What Wenger did that season has ruined him, what Wenger did up to that point has made Wenger what he is seen to be today. A has been, a man past his best by a number of years. Fans have moved on from hoping and willing to demanding unconditionally. No more hoping for a good cup run, no more hoping for a good finish in the league. Fans now demand a cup final win, they demand a challenge for the league every season come what may. Wenger was a visionary, he knew he wanted his teams to play the beautiful game the beautiful way. Alas, like all great visionaries his vision was taken, twisted and used against him. His beautiful football was turned from finesse to win at all costs. There was however, no beauty involved from the teams that adapted his vision. His perfect creation turned into his own personal Frankenstein. He has tried to move the vision on but has been stopped by brick walls, buses, one financial hand tied behind his back, greed and a lack of passion by some.So here he sits in his cul-de-sac looking at the emergency gate at the end of the road, a small turning space is up ahead. Does he use the space to do a U-turn, go back on everything he has believed in and go in the same direction as the other Juggernauts, does he park up and leave with the keys in the ignition and engine running for somebody else to make the decision or does he push on hoping that by the time he gets to the gate he has found the key to unlock it. Whatever his decision, I still look at Arsenal as the team I first started watching all those years ago, I still look forward to going, I still don't know what team will appear every week performance wise. I still hope for a good cup run and maybe a good run in the league, but for many it seems this is not enough and for that reason it must be looked at that Wenger has ruined Arsenal.Wenger has not just ruined Arsenal he can I think be held responsible for the current state of the PL, without him and a bit of help from Manchester United the PL would not be anything like the draw it is today. Yes we had a few exciting seasons with Blackburn, Leeds and Newcastle but on the whole the PL was just drifting along. Then along comes Wenger and put a spanner in the whole thing, attractive attacking football, speed and skill. Wenger and his rivalry against Manchester United upped the ante, we had two great sides going at it hammer and tongs, men with more money than sense watched from the side-lines wanting a bit of the action. Russian, American and Middle Eastern money arrived. Far Eastern betting syndicates jumped on the PL band wagon and suddenly the PL was a multi nation commodity. Clubs were wanted worldwide not just the odd trip in the close season but whole tours designed to get more of a worldwide fan base.What we have now is a league that only the rich teams can win, ticket prices are high, wages are high, the games moved left right and centre for the money on TV all because Wenger wanted to play the beautiful game beautifully. Wenger has ruined football in this country.

GoalkeepersSzczesny, Wojciech age 22 out of contract 2014Fabianski, Lukasz age 27 out of contract 2013Mannone, Vito age 25 out of contract 2014Martinez, Damian age 20 out of contract?Shea, James age 21 out of contract?Deyan Iliev age 17 out of contract?Vickers, Josh age 17 out of contract? Cook, Reice-Charles 19 out of contract?Looking at the ages of our goal keepers it would suggest Arsenal need an older and more experienced keeper to help bring Szczesny, Martinez and Shea through. Fabianski although playing well at the moment should be allowed to Leave the club on a free transfer although good if Arsenal can bring into that older experienced keeper he will be left on the sidelines. Mannone a keeper entering his final year should be sold a good back up keeper but I think needs more games to improve which he will not get at Arsenal.Two keepers out and one in with Martinez and Shea as back up third and fourth choice goal keepers.On the subject of goalkeepers, I have serious doubts about the level of training they receive; to me they all make the same mistakes this can only be done to Gerry Peyton Arsenal's goal keeping coach. Perhaps a new coach or new coaching techniques are needed. GOFabianskiMannoneGerry PeytonDEFENDERSI will split these up into positions; players will appear in more than one group of positions.Right Backs-Sagna, Bacary age 30 out of contract 2014Jenkinson, Carl age 21 out of contract 2018Coquelin, Francis age 21 out of contract 2015The big question is do Arsenal keep Sagna for the last season of his contract? A great defender but I am beginning to be worried about his abilities to help the attack. Watching a few games this season his final ball is terrible to say the least and his abilities to get back are slowing. This is down to the two broken legs and may recover better next season but do Arsenal allow him to leave on a free or take money for him at the end of this season. Wenger does seem to like to give players the chance of a last biggish pay day. Jenkinson looks a good right back he can get up and down the wing and his crossing is so much better than Sagna’s. His only problems at the moment are, positioning and is rash in the tackle but these will come with experience. Can Arsenal go into a full season with Jenkinson as our main right back, I would like a player with the experience of Monreal to come in and replace Sagna so they can swap with Jenkinson. GOSagna

Left Backs-Monreal, Nacho age 27 out of contract 2017Gibbs, Kieran age 23 out of contract 2018Vermaelen, Thomas age 27 out of contract 2015Miquel, Ignasi age 21 out of contract?Santos, Andre age 30 out of contract 2015As per usual with Arsenal they are strong in this position,. Gibbs is the better defender while from his few appearances so far this season Monreal looks a great attacking full back. Cover for these two are short though Vermaelen when playing at left back is tooeasily drawn into the middle leaving huge gaps, Miquel is more of a center back and should not be asked to cover this position.Santos on the other hand is nothing like a left back, What Wenger or his scouts saw in him I do not know. He seems to be strugglingin the Brazilian league where he is on loan if Arsenal can get shot of him it would be a good thingGOSantosCenter Backs-Mertesacker, Per age 28 out of contract 2015Vermaelen, Thomas age 27 out of contract 2015Koscielny, Laurent age 27 out of contract 2017Squillaci, Sebastian age 32 out of contract 2013Djourou, Johan age 26 out of contract 2015Miquel, Ignasi age 21 out of contract?Jenkinson, Carl age 21 out of contract 2018I will do the easy bit first goodbye Squillaci a stand in centre back that like Mikael Sylvestre just did not work. For being a so calledun Wenger like signing Mertesacker seems to be the first centre back name on the defencive team sheet this season. He might be slow of pace but his positioning and organisation skills seem to be what Arsenal need. Thomas Vermaelen is a problem is the pressure of the captaincy taking its toll or is the left ankle injury he suffered last season more of a problem than expected? His positioning is suspect and for an experienced defender is rash in his challenges in and around the penalty box.Koscielny at this moment in time the perfect partner for Mertesacker, he makes up for the lack of pace and unlike Vermaelen less rash in his challenges (apart from the odd shirt pull, which may or may not be a penalty depending on which day it is by the media & pundits!!). I have to feel sorry for Djourou a centre back who in no way is a right back asked to play right back and does a poor job there, at a club like Arsenal he is and will always be a third of the fourth choice central defender. When he comes in at centre back he always gives his best but his confidence seemed to take a huge knock after Wenger played him at right back. Unfortunately for him I doubt if he will ever get another chance at Arsenal.On the few occasions we have seen Miquel play at centre back he has looked good a player I would quite happy to see on the bench instead of Squillaci or Djourou.OUT-SquillaciDjourouUNDECIDEDVermaelen if Barcelona come in with a good offer would you take it?Midfield-attacking, central or defensiveRosicky, Tomas age 32 out of contract 2014Cazorla, Santi age 28 out of contract 2016Diaby, Abou age 26 out of contract 2015Arteta, Mikel age 31 out of contract 2015Ramsey, Aaron age 22 out of contract 2018Wilshere, Jack age 21 out of contract 2018Coquelin, Francis age 21 out of contract 2015Frimpong, Emmanuel age 21 out of contract 2013Denilson age 25 out of contract 2015Miyaichi, Ryo age 20 out of contract 2015I will start with who should be sold first as it is the easiest one to do, none of them. No only joking, Rosicky might be injury prone butthe end of last season and the end of this season have shown how valuable he is to Arsenal. Diaby the most injury prone players since Rosicky, if Arsenal can get him fit (I know it’s a big ask) then I think he will be a good player for Arsenal. Perhaps Arsenal should look at sending him out on loan (back to France) next season to get him fit and then make a decision on him at the end of the 2014 season. Ramsey, Wilshere and Coquelin I think could be the midfield partnership for years to come, Ramsey is getting back to the player Arsenal hoped he would be before the leg break. Wilshere needs an injury free season and then could be the next Arsenal captain for years and in Coquelin we have the holding midfield player the club needs.Cazorla (he can’t take a corner) has had an outstanding first season at Arsenal just hope he does not suffer the second season drop off syndrome and Mr reliable, Arteta just keeps the team ticking over. The only downside of many of our midfielders is their seeming unwillingness to shoot when in good positions; Wilshere & Arteta are most guilty of this.That leaves Fimpong a good player but too hot headed for the Premier league and Arsenal, is it worth giving him a new contract? And Denilson a Wenger punt on a player who has not improved with age, while others around him grew and matured he has unfortunately stayed at the same level. Ryo Miyaici I would like to see brought back off loan and to play with the U21’s and given a run in the cups but perhaps his ankle injuries are holding him back as a player?GOFrimpongDenilsonStrikersArshavin, Andrey age 31 out of contract 2013Podolski, Lukas age 27 out of contract 2016Giroud, Olivier age 26 out of contract 2017Walcott, Theo age 24 out of contract 2016Oxlade-Chamberlain, Alex age 19 out of contract 2018Gervinho age 25 out of contract 2015Park, Ju-Young age 27 out of contract 2015Bendtner, Nicklas age 25 out of contract 2014Chamakh, Marouane age 29 out of contract 2014Arshavin, Park, Bendtner and Chamakh thanks for everything but goodbye, adios, adieu, Cheerio, ciao and Godspeed to you all. I could go into detail about why they have failed to make it at Arsenal but this will be another 500 words long if I did and I'm sure you don’t want that. That leaves us with the ‘I want to be a striker but not play as a striker’ Walcott who on too many occasions flatters. He needs to be played in the old inside right position but getting him there seems to be a problem for him and Wenger. Gervinho aplayer who would be great,. If only his left foot knew what his right foot was doing. These two players I would give one more season to Theo needs to start producing performances regularly and Gervinho needs to I think calm down when he has the ball. He is like a rabbit in the headlights dashing from side to side not knowing in which direction to go.Giroud a great first season but needs a partner, he looks so much better when either Podolski or Walcott plays closer to him. Lukas Podolski I hope all the talk of him going is just media rubbish, get him fully fit over the summer with the operation he needs and play him closer to Giroud and they could become a great striking partnership.GOArshavinParkBendtnerChamakhThere you go twelve players I think should be on their way this summer with one maybe and one coach. Seven of those players are out on loan and two do not play at all so they will not be missed except for the wages going out.That leaves Arsenal needing a goalkeeper, a goalkeeping coach, a right back, a centre back and a striker this summer.

When and if Arsenal sign any players will come down to where they finish in the league, third and it's earlyish buying and selling for Wenger, fourth and it's wait until we qualify for the CL proper (if they do?). Fifth will Wenger have to go back to the drawing board to look at different players?

As the race for the top 4 places in the Premier League hots up, supporters and fans alike continue to scrutinise the permutations of the remaining games in the campaign, Managers and players are no different, with Arsene Wenger and Aaron Ramsey noting the crucial nature of the run-in fixtures for Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur,

Arsene Wenger insists Arsenal remain on course to qualify for the Champions League even though the Gunners' 0-0 draw against Everton left them facing a nerve-wracking end to the season.

Wenger's side would have moved four points clear of fifth placed Tottenham with a win over Everton on Tuesday, but instead they had to settle for a frustrating point after struggling to cope with the visitors' physical approach at the Emirates Stadium.

The race to finish in the Premier League's top four looks certain to go down to the wire as Arsenal slipped to 4th after Chelsea defeated Fulham 3-0 last night, while both Tottenham and Chelsea have played one game less than their north London rival.

Failure to qualify for the lucrative Champions League would be a massive blow for the Gunners, but Arsenal manager Wenger is convinced his team have the mental strength to cope with the high-pressure situation.

"We should have won the game but it keeps us still in a strong positon in the race for the top four," Wenger said.

"We are on a very strong run with a fantastic spirit so you do not want to complain too much about what didn't go for us.

"We dropped two points but if we win our coming games we will get there. The other teams have games in hand but they play each other.

"My belief was always strong and still is. I'm confident we will do it."

Wenger's belief in Arsenal's ability to cope with the stresses and strains of the run-in hasn't been dented despite Everton knocking them out of their stride with an overtly aggressive game plan.

The Frenchman felt Everton sent out to ruffle his team, but he claimed their tactics would have been scuppered if midfielder Darron Gibson had been sent off for a series of crunching challenges in the first half.

"It was a game of huge intensity, they decided to make it physical to disturb our game.

"I don't blame Everton for that. To say we needed protecting is a big word, we just want the referee to make the right decisions.

"I don't think the referee dealt well with the intimidating physical challenges in the first half."

While Wenger is confident of his side's top-four ambitions, Aaron Ramsey insists Arsenal's confidence has not been dented by their edgy 0-0 home draw with Everton on Tuesday night and he believes that a Champions League finish remains within their grasp.

Ramsey, insists the challenge ahead is tough but the team is focused on what Arsenal have to do and he says that if they can win at Fulham on Saturday, they would be in a commanding position and would have meant earning important 7 points from available 9 in a week.

Ramsey said "We always knew that this week was going to be a big week for us and hopefully now we can finish it off strongly and get a win at Fulham. That would put us in a really strong position."

Aaron Ramsey also clearly showed his delight at his new found versatile in role for Arsenal in recent weeks.

"I'm delighted with the way I'm playing and how the team is playing," he said. "It makes a big difference [being in central midfield]. That's my position and that's where I want to play.

"At the beginning of the season, I was moving all over the pitch, playing left-wing, right-wing, right-back. I was asked to do a job in many positions, which I'm happy to do for the team. If the manager wants me to play there, I'm not going to say no to that. But I've got my place back in the middle and my performances have been showing what I'm capable of doing there."

Ramsey also admitted they lost a chance to secure all 3 points against Everton but "we have to look forward to the next games now. Me and the other players are overly confident Arsenal will finish in the top 4 again this season, but we must work harder for it".

Arsenal lost at Craven Cottage last season and Fulham had already secured a draw against Arsenal at the Emirates this season, the clash against fellow Londoners with more stakes involved for Arsenal than ever.

English Premier League clubs and their shareholders have ratified the rules governing financial regulation of football clubs, on Thursday.

The regulations have come about against the backdrop of UEFA's Financial Fair Play (FFP) rule initiative.

The plans promise two significant controls: To limit players' wage bills from 2013/14 season. It is also a longer-term measures that will restrict the amount of losses clubs can make to £105million over three years.

Clubs whose total wage bill is more than £52million will only be allowed to increase their wages by £4million per season for the next three years, but the cap does not cover extra money coming in from increases in commercial or matchday income.

The ceiling when the wage increase restrictions kick in will be £52million next season, £56miliion the following year and £60million in 2015-16. Only seven of the current top-flight clubs would be under that ceiling at the moment.

Despite many Premier League clubs not falling under the ceiling, about 95% of clubs in attendance gave their approval to the new rules as it is seen as an ideal measure for clubs to spend within their earnings

Down in Oz, the A League has reached the 'Finals Series'!!So who topped the ladder (that's what they call it here) at the end of the regular season?Sydney FC? Inspired by Alesandro Del Piero; NopeNewcastle Jets? Lead by the mighty Emile Heskey; wrong again.It was the might that is, Greater Western Sydney Wanderers. In, might I add, their first season of existence. The first team to do so anywhere in the world so I'm told.

But, they are not The Champions. Why? I hear you ask. Well, they are Minor Premiers. To be champions you must win the Grand Final !!To make The Grand Final, you must first negotiate the Finals Series & to make the Finals Series you must finish in the top SIX.

So if you finish 6th in the A League, 25 points behind the 'Minor Premiers', having lost 13 games in a 27 game season, you can still be Champions !!!

Rumours emanating from the Emirates, are that Arsène, Ivan & PHW are lobbying the FA for this model to be adopted in The Premier League !!!

So be ready for next seasons Annual General Meeting & Arsène's next statement

"For me there are five trophies every season:The Premier LeagueThe Champions LeagueFinish 6th & qualify for the Finals SeriesThe FA CupThe League Cup."

When their names were/are read out there was/is an audible groan around the stadium. They and I'm sure there are other Arsenal boo boys players who were and are perceived to be not good enough for the Arsenal. Yes they were and are not in the same class as Bergkamp, Vieira or Adams, but they have something that perhaps the current Arsenal side need. Wiltord was not Henry but how many important goals did he score coming off the bench or filling in for Henry, can Arsenal at this moment say we have a player who can do that? His problem was not that he was not good enough but that he (like others) could not play with Henry. Eboue at right back played here, there and everywhere by Wenger. Eboue the player famously coming on to play left wing after being out injured for a number of weeks. Eboue at right back playing at left wing but who did the fans turn on the manager or the player? Senderos a defender who helped Arsenal get through to the CL final, ok I am drifting away from the point I want to make why do Arsenal fans jump on the back of some Arsenal players so quickly. Ramsey is the latest victims of this “he gives the ball away too much” or “he offers nothing to the team” are things you hear when he plays. An attacking midfielder asked to play on the wing as a holding midfielder or right back, his stats show that he passes better, creates more and tackles better than Wilshere. Where as young Jack can do no wrong Ramsey seems to be unable doing anything right in the eyes of some supporters. Yes moan when he does do something wrong but give credit when he plays well.

Have Arsenal supporters always been like this or is it the "we have-not won anything for eight seasons" syndrome. Yes there has always been the Gus Caesar's of the club but it's more the speed of fans turning on players now. Do Arsenal fans now not give new players time, would a player like Pires get the season he needed to settle in the English game. Diaby forever injured and out again for nine months played against Swansea and had the away fans on his back after giving the ball way and reading the forums was slated for his overall performance, but then reading the excellent 7am kickoff who pointed out how well he actually played and what he did within the game. A conundrum is he that poor or is he a player that fans no matter what he does can do no right? Not so much a boo boy but a player that seems to be getting stick for being “not what we need” is Giroud a player in his first season who has scored sixteen goals and assisted ten times in his forty two appearances. A player who has scored the same as Drogba (16 goals 5 assists) in his first whole season but with games still to go Arsenal at the moment need every ounce of support from the fans not scapegoating or blame lying at the feet of certain players. Some players need time to settle in or just to get fully match fit. Arsenal fans need to be less judgmental and more supportive less worried about how much a player costs or the size his wage packet. Yes there are players who fail to make the grade like Santos, but every manager makes mistakes bringing players in. Teams need flexible squad players ones who don't mind playing out of position, players who are the water carriers for the Cazorla's of the team. Manchester United has this season won the PL on the back of players who in my mind would be criticized at Arsenal. Yes they have had the goals of Van Persie, but look at the rest of the squad happy to play anywhere and everywhere. The type of player Arsenal fans are quick to moan at are exactly these types of players.

Once again we have key players injured. The main concern is the loss of Jack Wilshere as he is one of the best midfielders in the country, if not Europe. Jack is highly influential in our team and quite frankly should be our captain. What I fear will happen is that we will begin to rely on Jack too much.

When news of his injury first came out, fans reacted as if the world was coming to an end. I agree that losing Jack is a huge loss but we do have other players that we need to have some faith in. Proof that we can get by without Jack are in the victories against Bayern and Swansea both which were extremely difficult fixtures for us. Arsenal beat Bayern Munich 2-0, this is no easy feat. This was achieved by the strength and determination of the players on the pitch and Jack was not one of them. If Jack had been playing his skills would have benefited the team however we managed without him. We have Rosicky and yes he hasn’t had best fitness record but when he plays he is beneficial, we shouldn’t write him off. Rosicky is good at making the wing runs and creating chances. Arsenal as a team have in the past relied of single players too much to carry them through. It was done with Thierry Henry and when he left we were all at a loss as to what would happen next. Then Cesc took over as the main player we all focused on and then more recently Robin Van Persie who scored majority of our goals last season. We may be 5th in the league however we have scored 55 goals which are more than Manchester City and Tottenham; it has been our defence that has caused us to drop points. We have still got the goals without RVP we have just given the opportunity to players like Theo to step up and for newcomers in Giroud and Cazorla to join the goal scoring glory. It is not healthy for a team to rely on one player so much, and as we have seen for the last few weeks we don’t need to rely on any one single person. Our players as a whole have the strength to get us through the difficult fixtures. Each time we have let a player take over they have left us, I’m not saying that Jack is going to leave us but as we have seen in the past we can cope with certain players being out of the squad. We have survived the aftermath of players departing such as Henry, Gallas, Cesc and RVP. Yes we haven’t been the force to be reckoned with that we were a few years ago but quite frankly that comes down to the Board not replacing players when they have left with someone of the same quality. However that being said, the team we have now are capable of getting the results we just need to have some faith in them. Otherwise this can have adverse effects on the players. It is not Jack’s job to carry the team. We need to come away from the culture of relying on 1 person, we are a good team.